At least 5 Republican Representatives to Vote for Impeachment, Over a Dozen Senators Open to Conviction
St. Paul, MN – While Representatives Hagedorn, Emmer, Fischbach, and Stauber refuse to hold Donald Trump accountable for attempting to overturn a free and fair presidential election by inciting a violent insurrection attempt against the United States of America, other Republicans in Congress are putting their country before their party.
At least five Republican Representatives plan to vote for impeachment, including Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives. In addition, more than a dozen Senate Republicans, including Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, are considering voting to convict President Trump following his impeachment. Here’s what they said, in part:
Representative Liz Cheney (R – Wyoming):
“Much more will become clear in coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.”
Representative Adam Kinzinger (R – Illinois):
“There is no doubt in my mind that the President of the United States broke his oath of office and incited this insurrection. He used his position in the Executive to attack the Legislative. So in assessing the articles of impeachment brought before the House, I must consider: if these actions–the Article II branch inciting a deadly insurrection against the Article I branch–are not worthy of impeachment, then what is an impeachable offense?”
Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (R- Washington):
The President’s offenses, in my reading of the Constitution, were impeachable based on the indisputable evidence we already have. I understand the argument that the best course is not to further inflame the country or alienate Republican voters. But I am a Republican voter. I believe in our Constitution, individual liberty, free markets, charity, life, justice, peace and this exceptional country. I see that my own party will be best served when those among us choose truth.
Representative Fred Upton (R- Michigan):
“Today the President characterized his inflammatory rhetoric at last Wednesday’s rally as ‘totally appropriate,’ and he expressed no regrets for last week’s violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. This sends exactly the wrong signal to those of us who support the very core of our democratic principles and took a solemn oath to the Constitution… The Congress must hold President Trump to account and send a clear message that our country cannot and will not tolerate any effort by any President to impede the peaceful transfer of power from one President to the next. Thus, I will vote to impeach.”
Representative John Katko (R – New York):
“We take oaths to defend the Constitution because at times, it needs to be defended. Without the peaceful transfer of power and the acknowledgment of election results, we can’t sustain our political system. Congress is tasked with holding the Executive accountable. As the Ranking Member of House Homeland Security Committee, country always comes first.
To allow the President of the United States to incite this attack without consequence is a direct threat to the future of our democracy. For that reason, I cannot sit by without taking action. I will vote to impeach this President.”